Rohit Sharma, who had been under fire for his miserable run as batter as well as captain in recent months, had “opted out” of the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney, leading many to believe the ‘Hitman’ made his final appearance in whites in Melbourne.

India dropped skipper Rohit Sharma but their top order batting woes continued as they struggled to 57 for three in the opening session of the fifth test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.

The captain of the Indian cricket team is sitting out of a crucial Test match for the first time ever in the middle of an ongoing series as defeats in Australia beckon generational change in the country’s most popular and richest sport.